Cervical splint



P. W. HANICKE CERVICAL SPLINT Dec. E4, WSJ

Filed June 17, 1936 nrnuwx` n VIII/2U! f INVENTORn Pqu/M/ fY//am Han/ckeATTORNEY Patented Dec. 14, 1937 NiTEo star 22 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for the immobilization of the cervicalvertebrae after a fracture thereof has occurred, to hold the same insuch position as to prevent pressure on or injury to the spinal cord.One of the purposes of my invention is to provide an apparatus of theabove mentioned character that is simple in construction and which isadjustable in any desired manner to obtain a desired position of thehead relative to the body of the person to whom the apparatus isVapplied so as to hold a fractured vertebra in proper position forunison. The apparatus is so constructed as to contact the headY and bodyof the wearer thereof only 3 at necessary points to thus avoidunnecessary discomfort for the wearer thereof.

Generally, my improvedapparatus comprises body-engaging members `andhead-engaging members, there being a pair of each of said members, andthe paired body-engaging and paired head-engaging members beingconnected together in such a manner as to limit the movement of the sameaway from each other. The head-engaging and body-engaging members eachcomprise pads that engage portions of the head andV body, respectively,ductile rod-like members connecting the pads mounted on pad holders, andmeans for connecting the ductile rod-like members so that the same canbe moved toward and away from each other to obtain anydesired spacing ofthe body-engaging members from the head-engaging members. Also theapparatus comprises means for adjusting the pad car- @rying memberssubstantially universally relative to the rod-like members, and therod-like members relative to each other not only in spacing, but inangular relationship, and in various other Ways.

` The Weight of the head is, of course, transferred from the head to thebody through the pads and the framework comprising the rod-like membersand connecting means. It is e. purpose of my invention to provide amounting for the pads whereby the same can be shifted on the rod-likemembers to increase or decrease the spacing of the same on the rod-likemembers, and to provide moans for varying the angular position of saidpads around the rod-like members so that the same can be made to t accusrately the contour of the head, chin, shoulder,

that is provided with means for adjusting the ('Cl. 12S-87) rod-likemembers, or frame members, relative to each other so as to obtain anydesired position either in angular relation, or spacing, of the headengaging portion relative to the body engaging portion that may bedesirable, or necessary, as indicated by the nature of the fracture.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide pads of the abovementioned character, which are made of sponge rubber and which may bereplaced when desired.

It is a further purpose of my invention to make the rod-like, or frame,members oi ductile material, such as aluminum'rod, so that Vthe same canbe bent to the contour of the shoulder, or chest, or the shape or" thehead, to obtain a more proper bearing of the pads on the head, chest andshoulder to lX the head in proper adjusted position relative to the bodyto obtain the desired position of the fractured portions or thevertebrae for proper setting of the fracture and prevention oi injury tothe spinal cord.

One of the important advantages of my invention is that all of the partsthereof that are in such relationship to the body of the person to whomthe apparatus is applied that the same might interfere with X-rayphotography of Vthe fracture, are made of material through which theX-ray will pass, such as aluminum, and sponge rubber, and similarmaterial, the rods and pad holders beingY both made of aluminum.

To obtain the desired adjustment of the pads relative to the framemembers of the device, said pads are mounted so that the holderstherefor may be rotated about their own axes, about the axes of therods, and simultaneously clamped in adjusted position to preventrotation thereof about either of the axes and movement thereof along therods. Y

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thedescription of the accompanying drawing proceeds. I desire to have itunderstood, however, that 1 do not intend to limit myself to theparticular details shown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view in perspective, showing my improved apparatus applied,the head and shoulders of the person to whom the lapparatus is appliedbeing shown in dotted outline.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my improved apparatus,on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a section thereof taken on'the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, on a stilllarger scale.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through one of the pad holders andpads and associated parts on substantially the same scale as Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view taken substantially on the same scale as Fig. 2 ofthe clamping bracket connecting the rods with the adjustable connectingbar.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the stud for connecting the bracket and bar, asviewed from the right of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary face view of one end of the connecting bar, asviewed from the left of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my improved apparatus comprises therod-like members I9 and II, there being a pair of the rodlike membersi9, one on each side of the head, and a pair of the rod-like members II,one on each side of the neck of the wearer of the ap paratus, eachadjacent one of the shoulders of the wearer thereof. Said rod-likemembers are made of aluminum of such ductility that the same can bereadily bent to a desired position. The central portions of the rod-likemembers I@ and II are provided with squared portions I2 and I3,respectively, and with roughened, or serrated, portions I li, I5, I6 andII. Except for` their shape, the rod-like members I9 and II aresubstantially alike, although the same may be of different length, ifthis is found to be desirable. The serrations are, preferably, formed bycutting shallow grooves I8 in the rod-like members I0 and I near theirends. The connection between each rod-like member IU and each of the padmembers, and the connection between each rod-like member II and each ofthe pad members, is the same, so the same reference numerals will beapplied to the various parts of the connecting means for each of the padmembers.

The rod-like members I9 have sleeve-like members I9 mounted thereon,through the openings 2D of which the rod-like members IB and II,respectively, extend. A threaded opening 2| is provided in eachsleeve-like member I9. which intersects the opening 29 and in which isthreaded a clamping screw 22. Pivotally mounted in an opening 23 in thehead portion 24 of said clamping screw, is a ring 25, which ring isutilized for turning the clamping screw. A button having a shank portion26 and a head portion 2l is also provided on the head of the clampingscrew. The opposite end of the sleevelike member I9 to that having thescrew threaded opening 2l is provided with a round flange forming a flathead 23 thereon, which is mounted in a circular socket 29 formed in thepad carrying member 39 by pressing out a portion 3| thereof. The member30 is thus rotatable on the member I9, or swvelled thereon.

However, it will be obvious, that the clamping screw 22, when tightenedup, will not only clamp the sleeve-like member I9 to the rod-like memberIll, or II, as the case may be, but will also draw the head 28 towardthe rod-like member Il), or II, so as to clamp the head 28 on the socket29 and prevent rotation of the pad carrier 3B relative to thesleeve-like member i9. Thus, while each of the pad holders comprisingthe sleeve-like members I9 and the carrier members 39 are adjustable bylongitudinal sliding movement on the rod-like members Iii and II, and byrotation about the rod-like members Iii and II so as to obtain anydesired spacing of said holders on said rod-like members, and anydesired angular relationship of said holders to said rod-like members,and to each other, and any desired position of the pads carried by thecarriers 30 relative to the axis of the sleevelike members I9,tightening of the clamping screw 22 will hold said memberssimultaneously from all such movements and clamp the same in whateveradjusted position these may be placed.

Each holder is provided with a pad of cushioning material, such assponge rubber, indicated by the numeral 32, and said pads correspondgenerally to the shape of the carriers 3l), which carriers may be of anoblong shape, as indicated for the carrier 39 in Fig. 1, the same beingsomewhat curved in cross section so as to fit somewhat to the curvatureof the jaw bone adjacent the chin of the wearer, or the same may be madeof substantially flat disk-like character, such as the members 39',indicated in Fig. l as engaging the back of the head and the chest ofthe wearer of the device, or the same may be elongated and somewhatcurved in cross section in a longitudinal direction, as indicated by thenumeral 39 for the shoulder-engaging pad in Fig. l. The only differencein the construction of the various pad carriers, however, is in theshape and size of the body portions thereof. The mounting of the sameand the engagement of the pads therewith is identical in all cases.

Said pads are provided with flexible pocket forming members 33 thereon,which extend around the edges of said pad members on the rear facesthereof, being secured to said rear faces adjacent the peripheral edgesof the same at 34 by any suitable adhesive and forming annular, oruninterrupted, curved, flexible flanges on said members 32, which areadapted to receive the peripheral edge portions 35 of the carrier 30, 30or 30", the pad-like members 32 being made of sponge rubber for suchdeformability and elasticity that the pockets formed by the exibleflanges 33, of leather, or similar material, can be readily engaged withthe members 39, 39 or 3D, as the case may be, and will be held inposition thereon against accidental removal, but can be removed, whendesired, for replacement of pads that may have become soiled with newpads. Thus the apparatus can be supplied with an entirely new set ofpads for every wearer thereof if this is desired. The rod-like membersI9 and II on each side of the device are adjustably connected togetherby the vertically extending, or substantially vertically extendingconnecting member having the overlapping fiat members 3T and 38.

The member 3l is provided with a plurality of screw threaded openings 39and with an opening dil, in which is riveted a shank portion 4I of aheaded stud l2 having a transversely extending head portion i3, which isconsiderably wider than a slot i4 provided in the member 38. The slot Maligns with the threaded openings 39 and a threaded clamping screw 45 isengaged with any desired one of the threaded openings 39 and has a head4S thereon that engages the face of the member 38 adjacent the slot 44.A split ringlike member 4l' is provided with end portions 48 that arepivotally mounted in openings 49 in the head IE6 to provide means forreadily turning the clamping screw. It will be seen that by means of theclamping screw 45 and the headed member 42 the two flat bar-like members3'I and 38 can be held in a fixed adjusted position to obtain anydesired length for the connecting member formed of the members 3'I and38. Each of the members 3'I and 38 is provided with means Vforconnecting the same with the rodlike member Il] or Il, as the case maybe. Said adjustable connecting means are all substantially alike so thedescription of one thereof will suflice for al1.

Said adjustable connecting means comprises a headed clamping screw 5B,which extends through an opening 5l provided in either the member 31 orthe member 38, the head 52 of said `clamping screw being radiallygrooved, or serrated, on the inner face 53 thereof. Cooperating witheach headed clamping member 50 isa sheet metal clamping member 54, whichis provided with a rectangular sleeve portion 55 that i'lts around thesquared portion I2 of the rod-like member Il), or the rod-like memberIl, as the case may be. The clamping member 54 is somewhat resilient andhas a pair of ears 56 thereon that are perforated to receive the shankportion of the clamping screw 5D. VSaid ears are provided withcorrugations 51 radiating from the openings through which the headedelements 50 extend,

'said radially extending corrugations corresponding to the radialgrooves, or serrations, in the rear face of the head 52 at 53 and beingadapted to be received therein. The members 31 and 33 are each alsoprovided with serrated portions, or radiating grooves, 58 extendingaround the opening 5I, with which a set of radiating Ycorrugations 51 oneach member 54 is adapted to engage. Y

It will be obvious that after the nut 59 on the clamping member istightened down on the screw threaded portion 60 thereof by means of thesplit ring-like member 5l, the ears 55 will be drawn toward each otherand the corrugations 51 will rugated washer 63 is mounted on thethreaded stem 6D adjacent the member 31 or 38, as the case may be, andacts as a lock washer to further clamp the parts against relativemovement, a plain washer 64 being provided between the washer 53 and thenut 59 on the headed clamping member 50. It will be obvious that afterthe nut 59 is screwed down on the clamping member '53 and the ears 55 onthe bracket member 55 are drawn toward each other the rectangular sleeveportion 55 will be fixedly clamped on the squared portion I2 of therod-like member In, or Il, as the case may be, but that the squaredsleeve portion 55 can be slid on the squared portion i2 when theclamping member is released, thus providing a longitudinal adjustment ofthe connecting member, made up of the parts 31 and 3B and the bracketmembers 54, on the rod-like member l, or l l, as the case may be.

Flexible members, such as the straps 10, 1|, 12 and 13, are provided forconnecting the apparatus on one side of the head and neck of the wearerthereof, with the apparatus on the other side of the head and neck ofthe wearer thereof, the straps 1l andV 13 connecting the two rod-likemembers wand the straps 1B and 12 connecting the two rod-like membersIl. The transverse spacing of the rod-like members I0 and Il is obtainedby means of said flexible members, or

straps, 1D, 1I, 12 and 13, which are providedwith rows of openings 14therein, with any one of Vbe applied,l and also readily removed whenthis One side of the apparatus comis desirable. prising the rod-likemembers i3 and Il and the pads carried therebycan be removed fromsupporting position without disturbing the other side thereof byunbuttoning the flexible straps 13, 1|, 12 and 13. The members i6, il,i9, 35, 3G', 30" and 52 are all Ymade of aluminum. It will thus be seenthat there will be no parts made of such a metal as would interfere withthe taking of X-ray photographs in such a position as to interfere withthe taking of such photographs of the fractured vertebrae'when thesupporting apparatus is in position to Vsupport the fractured vertebrae.

What I claim is:-

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising an elongatedhead-engaging member, an elongated body-engaging member and a singlespacing member connecting said head-engaging member with saidbody-engaging member, said head-engaging member being angularlyadjustable relative to said spacing member.

v 2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising an elongatedhead-engaging member, an elongated body-engaging member and a singlespacing member connecting said head-engaging member with saidbody-engaging member, said body-engaging member being angularlyadjustable relative to said spacing member.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising an Velongatedhead-engaging member, a body-engaging member and a spacing memberconnecting said head-engaging member with said body-engaging member,said spacing member being adjustable longitudinally of saidhead-engaging member.

4.. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a bodyengaging member and a spacing memberV connecting saidhead-engaging member with said body-engaging member, said spacing memberbeing adjustabble longitudinally of said body engaging member.

5. An apparatus of thecharacter described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body engaging member, spaced body-engaging pads on saidbody-engaging member, means for adjusting the position of said pads onsaid body-engaging member and a spacing member connecting saidhead-engaging member Withsaid body-engaging member.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising an elongatedhead-engaging member, a body-engaging member, head-engaging pads on saidhead-engaging member, means for adjusting the position of said padslongitudinally on said member and a single spacing member connectingsaid'Y head-engaging member with said body-engaging member.

7. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body engaging member, spaced body-engaging pads on saidbody-engaging member, means for adjusting the position of said pads onsaid member in a plurality of different directions and a spacing memberconnecting said head-engaging member with said body-engaging member.

8. An apparatus of the character described, comprising an elongatedhead-engaging member, a body-engaging member, spaced head-engaging padson said head-engaging member, means for adjusting the position of saidpads relative to said member in a plurality of different directions anda spacing member connecting said head-engaging member with saidbody-engaging member.

9. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a bodyengaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers, each comprising a frame member, pad holders, pads on saidholders, and means for longitudinally adjustably mounting said padholders on said frame member, and a spacing member connecting saidhead-engaging member with said body-engaging member.

10. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a bodyengaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers, each comprising a frame member, pad holders, pads on saidholders, and means for mounting said pad holders on said frame memberfor relative angular adjustment, and a spacing member connecting saidheadengaging member with said body-engaging member.

11. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a bodyengaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising a frame member, pad holders and means formounting each pad holder on its frame member for rotational adjustmentabout an axis transverse to said frame member, and a spacing memberconnecting said head-engaging member with said body-engaging member.

12. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a bodyengaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising a frame member, pad holders and means formounting each pad holder on its frame member for longitudinal adjustmenton said frame member, and rotational adjustment about an axis transverseto said frame member, and the pad holders on each frame angularlyrelative to each other, comprising a single clamping means for holdingeach pad holder in adjusted position, and a spacing member connectingsaid head-engaging member with said body-engaging member.

13. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body-engaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising an elongated ductile rod-like frame memberhaving polygonal portions between the ends thereof, and means connectingsaid rod-like frame members cornprising a pair of overlapping adjustablyconnected members having polygonal sleeve-like brackets on the endsthereof, slidably mounted on the polygonal portions o said rod-likemembers and means for clamping said brackets in fixed position on saidrod-like members.

14. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body-engaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising an elongated rod-like frame member havingpolygonal portions between the ends thereof, and means connecting saidrod-like frame members comprising a pair of overlapping adjustablyconnected members having polygonal sleeve-like brackets swingablymounted on the ends thereof and slidably mounted on the polygonalportions of said rodlike members, and means for simultaneously clampingsaid brackets in fixed position on said rod-like members and saidbrackets in fixed position on said overlapping adjustably connectedmemb-ers.

15. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a bodyengaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising an elongated rod-like frame member havingserrated portions near the ends thereof, means connecting said rod-likemembers between the ends thereof, and pad holders comprising sleeveportions mounted for sliding and turning adjustment on said serratedportions of said rod-like members, and means for simultaneously clampingsaid sleeve portions against sliding and turning movement on saidrod-like members.

16. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body-engaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising an elongated, ductile, rod-like frame member,means connecting said rod-like members between the ends thereof, saidrod-like members being otherwise entirely free of each other, padholders adjustably mounted on said rod-like members near the endsthereof and pads on said pad holders.

17. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body-engaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising an elongated, rod-like frame member, sleeveportions mounted for sliding and turning adjustment on said rod-likemembers, pad carriers swivelled on said sleeve portions, and means forclamping said pad carriers in iixed position on said sleeve portions.

18. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body-engaging member, said head-engaging and bodyengagingmembers each comprising an elongated rod-like frame member havingserrated portions near the ends thereof, means connecting said rodlikemembers between the ends thereof, and pad holders comprising sleeveportions mounted for sliding and turning adjustment on said serratedportions of said rod-like members, pad carriers swivelled on said sleeveportions, and means for simultaneously clamping said sleeve portionsagainst sliding and turning movement on said rod-like members and saidpad carriers in fixed position on said sleeve portions.

19. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a head-engagingmember, a body-engaging member, said head-engaging and body engagingmembers each comprising an elongated rod-like frame member, meansconnecting said rod-like members between the ends thereof, and padholders comprising sleeve portions mounted for sliding and turningadjustment on said rodlike members, pad carriers mounted on said sleeveportions comprising disk-like members, and pads of compressible materialhaving flexible marginal means thereon engaging around the edges of saiddisk-like members to detachably mount said pads on said holders.

Z0. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair ofunconnected head-engaging members, a pair of body-engaging members, apair of spacing'members, each spacing member connecting a head-engagingmember and a bodyengaging member, and flexible means connecting saidbody-engaging members.

21. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair ofunconnected head-engaging members, a pair of body-engaging members, apair of spacing members, each spacing member connecting a head-engagingmember and a bodyengaging member, saidVbody-engaging members being eachindependently adjustable relative to said spacing members and saidhead-engaging members being each independently adjustable relative tosaid spacing members, and flexible head-engaging means, thereon, saidelongated members having the corresponding ends thereof spaced from eachother and unconnected, a pair of elongated members having body-engagingmeans thereon, said last mentioned elongated members having thecorresponding ends thereof spaced from each other, a pair of spacingmembers, each spacing member connecting an intermediate portion oi anelongated member having -ing the corresponding ends of the elongatedmembers having said body-engaging means thereon.

PAUL WILLIAM HAN'ICKE.

